The Benefits of Installing Energy Efficient Sliding Glass Doors: A Comprehensive Guide

Sliding glass doors can make a stylish and convenient addition to your home, but that isn't their only benefit. When you purchase energy-efficient sliding glass doors, you'll also enjoy enhanced comfort, improved energy efficiency, and even see reductions in your next energy bills.

Here's a comprehensive introduction to the benefits of energy-efficient sliding glass doors.

The Advantages of Energy-Efficient Sliding Glass Doors

Energy-efficient sliding glass doors are sleek, timeless, and easy to use. They're also excellent for improving your home's energy efficiency, as their fantastic level of insulation can help you maintain your home's internal temperature and save money on energy bills in the long run.

Improved Energy Efficiency

While it might not seem like a simple metal frame glass sliding door could improve your home's energy efficiency, it can actually provide considerable improvements. They're incredibly insulating and can help filter out harmful UV rays and heat while still allowing natural light into your home.

Enhanced Home Comfort

Because of the fantastic insulating ability, an energy-efficient sliding patio door can also help keep your home more comfortable.

Non-insulating doors tend to allow heat loss or air leaks, making it harder to maintain a comfortable temperature within your home. With an energy-efficient sliding glass door, your home's comfortable air will be tightly contained.

Cost Savings

Due to their thermally efficient qualities, sliding glass doors can significantly impact your energy costs. Having doors with low energy efficiency means you might be spending tens or hundreds of dollars on air that simply leaks outside every month.

You can save hundreds of dollars in energy costs over time by installing energy-efficient products in your home.

Types and Features of Energy-Efficient Sliding Glass Doors

As you shop for new energy-efficient doors, you'll find that you have a few options.

It's essential to understand the distinction between double-glazed and triple-glazed glass and what exactly Low-E coatings are.

Double-Glazed vs. Triple-Glazed

Energy-efficient sliding glass doors can offer high levels of energy efficiency thanks to their glazed glass panes.

You have two options to choose from when shopping for glass:

• Double-glazed glass. The double-glazing process involves constructing a glazed unit with two panes of glass.
• Triple-glazed glass. These glass doors have multiple glass panels, further minimizing air leakage and temperature loss.

Low-E Coatings

Sliding doors with Low-E coatings (or low-emissivity coatings) can offer further increases in energy efficiency. Glass treated with Low-E coating is treated with multiple layers of metallic oxide, ensuring that sunlight can pass through. At the same time, heat and UV radiation are almost entirely blocked.

Multi-Point Locking Systems

Consider purchasing a patio door with a multi-point locking system if you want a highly secure sliding glass door. These sliding patio doors use two or more locks, thereby allowing for a heightened level of security.

Many of these doors use locking hardware components made with quality materials like diecast aluminum or steel.

Considerations for Installation and Maintenance

Before purchasing new energy-efficient sliding glass doors, you must consider how you'll install and maintain them.

Professional door installation is necessary, but maintaining your new low-emissivity doors is a routine feasible to complete all on your own.

Professional Installation

It's vital to have your energy-efficient sliding glass doors professionally installed if you want them to insulate your home correctly.

If you attempt to install your own sliding glass doors as a DIY project, they may suffer poor thermal performance due to unnoticed air gaps.

Maintenance Tips

Once you've installed your new sliding glass doors, you'll need to maintain them to maintain their excellent insulation properly.

You should clean the glass regularly and lubricate the rail whenever it becomes stubborn. You should perform weatherstripping checks regularly and correct leaks as soon as they develop.

Environmental Impact and Sustainability

Installing new sliding glass doors isn't just good for your wallet and comfort; it can also help the environment.

You should shop for the best sliding glass patio doors made with sustainable, high-quality materials if you want to reduce your carbon footprint.

Sustainable Materials

The sustainability of sliding glass doors can vary depending on the materials used. Fiberglass, aluminum, and steel are all highly sustainable materials when ethically sourced. Likewise, PVC, glass, and wood are also excellent options.

Reduced Carbon Footprint

Beyond reducing your energy bill, your new sliding glass doors may offer the added benefit of lowering your carbon footprint.

Thanks to the fact that you need less energy to heat or cool your home when it's properly insulated, you will reduce your overall emissions.

Making the Energy-Efficient Choice

Protecting the environment, keeping your home more comfortable, and reducing your energy bill are just a few benefits that installing new energy-efficient sliding glass doors can provide you with.

If you're ready to change your life, all you need to do is shop for the perfect new door.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between standard and energy-efficient sliding glass doors?

The difference between standard and energy-efficient sliding glass doors is that energy-efficient doors are typically made with higher-quality materials and are built with higher-quality specifications. They're constructed with enough quality to offer a nearly complete air seal.

How do energy-efficient sliding glass doors help in climate control?

Energy-efficient sliding glass doors can help in climate control by sealing conditioned air inside your home and preventing external temperatures from leaking. Many energy-efficient doors are even capable of blocking the heat from sunlight.

Are energy-efficient sliding glass doors suitable for all climate types?

Energy-efficient sliding glass doors are suitable for all climate types. They can hold in warm and cool air and insulate against extreme external temperatures.

If you're worried about damage from harsh weather conditions, you should look for a sliding glass door made with hurricane-resistant glass.

Do these doors require special maintenance compared to regular doors?

You don't have to worry about significant special maintenance after installing new energy-efficient sliding glass doors.

If you purchased patio slider doors with Low-E coating, you may need to have your doors re-coated periodically.

Are there any incentives or rebates for installing energy-efficient doors?

There are incentives and rebates that you can claim after purchasing and installing energy-efficient doors.

The IRS allows homeowners to claim $250 per door and $500 total for new doors, with up to $600 in window rebates and $150 for home energy audits also being available.